MANILA, Philippines — In a sign of a deepening rift, the youngest son of former president Rodrigo Duterte yesterday called for the resignation of President Marcos.
“Mr. President, if you do not have love and aspirations for your country, resign,” Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte said in a speech at the Hakbang ug Maisug Leaders Forum in Davao City.
The mayor also accused the President of being lazy and lacking compassion.
“All of these things he is causing are oppressing the people. He is making politics his first priority instead of opening up new opportunities especially for the lower classes to improve the lives of Filipinos,” Duterte lamented.
The mayor lambasted the President for his alleged inaction on criminality.
According to Duterte, drugs and other crimes ballooned after his father stepped down as president.
“Of course they were gone for six years. They would want to recoup their losses now,” he said.
The gains made in eradicating the New People’s Army are also being threatened, Duterte said.
“The problem is they were not there up in the mountains. They did not experience it. Now, because they have a grievance with my sister (Vice President Sara Duterte), they are cozying with the left,” he said.
Duterte also blames the President for all the woes the country is facing.
“You are the president, you could have done something about it,” he said, accusing the President of sleeping instead of doing his job.
At the leaders’ forum, the mayor also likened the people’s initiative signature campaign to what was done in the 1960s that allowed Marcos Sr. to stay in power for 20 years.
After he said his piece, the mayor jested that he might have to flee the country to preserve his life after all the accusations he let out.
Rival rallies
Supporters of President Marcos and his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte each gathered for rival rallies yesterday, as a battle over the country’s Constitution highlighted a deepening rift between the clans.
As supporters of Marcos and his predecessor Duterte each gathered for rival rallies yesterday, the battle over the country’s Constitution highlighted a deepening rift between the clans.
The Hakbang ug Maisug is a gathering of leaders who supported former president Duterte’s presidential bid and had over 1,000 political leaders from all over the country flocking to Davao City as a show of force to demonstrate that the Filipinos are not for sale.
This came after issues of signature buying for the people’s initiative campaign for Charter change came to light.
“It is their actions that led us here,” Sebastian said.
Former Cabinet members of the elder Duterte such Harry Roque, Jun Evasco and Alfredo Cusi were also present, as was former House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.
Marcos’ first executive secretary Vic Rodriguez was also present at the meeting. The leaders meeting was followed by a prayer rally in the city’s Rizal Park.
Relations between the families have deteriorated as they seek to shore up their respective support bases and secure key positions ahead of next year’s midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race, which Sara is widely expected to contest.
In the latest rift, Marcos has backed a campaign to amend the 1987 Constitu_tion, introduced after his dictator father and namesake was ousted from power.
Critics warn the effort could pave the way for Marcos to get another six-year term, which is currently prohibited.
Others suspect it is a scheme to shift to a parliamentary system and allow his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, to succeed him as prime minister.